Louvered shutter blind



Jan. 27, 1970 G. M. WUNDERLICK 3,491,481

LOUVERED SHUTTER BLIND Filed April 16, 1968 INVENTOR George M. Wunderlick ATTORNEY United States Patent ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSUREv A louvered shutter blind designed for windows or doors comprising a frame defining a rectangular central opening having a series of superposed louvers pivoted at each end to the side members of the frame, and a rod having a linkage with each of the louvers on one side of the assembly whereby to manipulate the louvers collectively to open and closed positions, the upper cross-member, or

header, of the frame being arcuately contoured along its loweredge for decorative purposes and one of the uppermost louvers is shaped along its outer edge to conform to the arcuate contour of the frame header.

SUMMARY This invention relates to louvered shutters for windows and doors, and it has particular reference to shutters having adjustable louvers capable of beingtilted to a variety of angles and having a decorative appearance.

An object of the invention resides in the provision of an adjustable louver assembly for installation as a panel in a frame structure for use as a closure for a window or door and wherein the frame structure has an arcuately contoured header member for decorative puposes to which one of the uppermost louvers is adapted to conform when closed and thus enhance the appearance of the shutter.

Another object of the invention is that of providing a louver assembly, in which the louvers are collectively connected to a manipulating shaft by which they are pivoted on their respective axes, and in which the uppermost louver is connected to the contoured louver, which conforms to the arcuately contoured header, by a linkage whereby the uppermost louver will cooperate with the contoured louver to effectively close the arcuately contoured opening along the lower edge of the header member of the frame.

Broadly, the invention contemplates the provision of an ornamental louvered shutter assembly which can be treated as a panel capable of being installed as a unit in a closure frame for windows and doors, or installed in a conventional door closure after removing the panel therefrom.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING While the foregoing objects are paramount, other and lesser objects will become apparent when considered with the appended drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is an elevational view of one side of a closure for a window or door in which the invention is embodied, and showing the louvers closed.

FIGURE 2 is an elevational view of the opposite side of the closure shown in FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary elevational view of the closure shown in FIGURES 1 and 2, showing the arcuately contoured header, and showing the louvers in open positions.

FIGURE 4 is a vertical sectional view on line 4-4 of FIGURE 1, the louvers being shown in closed positions.

FIGURE 5 is a vertical sectional view on line 55 of FIGURE 3 in which the louvers are in open positions; in which the louvers are in open positions, the uppermost;

loulver being shown as narrower than the other louvers, an t FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary perspective illustration showing one end of the narrower uppermost louver and the contoured louver and the linkage connecting them.

In FIGURES 1 and 2 is shown a typical closure 10 for a door or window and comprises a framecomposed of side members or stiles 11 and 12 connected by a header 13 across the top and a base panel 14 across the bottom to define a rectangular opening 15 in which the louver assembly embodying the invention is installed. It is contemplated, however, that, if desirable, the louver assembly may be arranged in a similar frame of siutable dimensions to be installed as a unit in the opening 15 of the closure 10 instead of the conventional solid panel in some doorsi The louver assembly, which is generally conventional in form, comprises a series of individual louvers 16 pivoted t at. each end to vertical strips 17, or the stilesll and 12, by dowels 18 formed with or attached to each end of each louver 16, as shown in FIGURES l, 2 and 3, and

in detail in FIGURE6. The louvers 16 are connected vertically by a shaft 19, each having a linkage 20 to. the latter whereby the louvers can be collectively operated to the open andv closed positions, as shown in FIGURES 4 and S.

Theheader 13 of the closure frame 10 has an arcuate contour 21 formed along its lower edge 22, as shown in FIGURES 1 and 3, and the uppermost louver 16' linked to the shaft 19 is contoured along its outer edge 23 to conform to the contour 21 in the header 13, as shown best in FIGURES l and 6. The louver 24 at the extreme top of the assembly is narrower than the others therein and is connected to the louver 24 by a link 25 which may be of any suitable form but, which is shown in FIGURE 6 as being substantially U-shaped, having right-angular end portions 26 which are inserted in small bores in the ends of the louvers 16' and 24.

As will become apparent, by reference to FIGURES 1 and 4, the louver 16', having the arcuate form along its outer edge 23, will conformably fit into the arcuate contour 21 of the header 13 when in closed position, and any spacing between the louver 16 and the header 13 is covered by the louver 24, as best illustrated in FIGURE 4, or in broken lines in FIGURE 2. The header 13 has a recess 27 which encompasses the arcuate contour 21 on one surface thereof and the louver 24 is journaled at each end within the recess 27, as shown in FIGURES 4 and 5.

While the dowels 18 on the louver 16' are shown in FIGURE 6 as having a flat surface 28 on one side, such device is not essential to its structure or operation. In this instance the recessed portion or surface 28 will accommodate the link 25 when the louver 16 is in itS closed position, as in FIGURE 4.

What is claimed is:

1. In an adjustable shutter for window and door openings, having a frame comprising side elements, a bottom element, a header having an arcuate contour along its lower edge, a plurality of transversely arranged, pivotally adjustable louvers in said frame, and a vertical shaft having a linkage to each of said louvers for collectively opening and closing the same, the improvements comprising: one of said louvers being pivotally supported in said side elements adjacent to said header and having its free edge contoured to conform to the contour of said header to fit thereinto when said louvers are adjusted to closed position, and an auxiliary louver, having a 3 rigid linkage to said one of said louvers, superposed thereabove to overlap it in closed position of said louvers.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,113,355 5/1969 Tracy et a1 4950 312,053 2/1885 WiIIer 4974 1,343,919 6/1920 Keller 49-74 X 4 Touchstone et a1. 1601 15 Bertram 49-77 Bayer 4984 Underdahl 4974 X 5 DAVID J. WILLIAMOWSKY, Primary Examiner P. C. KANNAN, Assistant Examiner 

